One of the easiest ways to protect an edible item, such as a cake, pie, or brownie, is to cover the edible item in the pan or container the edible item was made in with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. However, some edible items also contain toppings, icing, frosting, cream, or similar type of feature that can be damaged, destroyed or altered if the feature comes into contact with the plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Because of this, large hard covers are frequently used to protect the features on the edible item. However, hard covers can be cumbersome and undesirable because hard covers require a set amount of space that cannot be adjusted depending on the size of the edible item that is contained within the hard cover. As a result, hard covers frequently take up more space than what is actually necessary to adequately protect the features of the edible item. This can present a problem when the edible item must be stored within a refrigerator or when the hard cover is not in use.
According to a first embodiment, an apparatus for covering and protecting an edible item that allows a flexible covering to cover and protect the edible item without damaging or altering a feature on the edible item. The edible item has a top surface with an outer edge. The apparatus provides a plurality of vertical supports, each having a first portion and a second portion. The second portion of each vertical support is inserted the top surface of the edible item adjacent to the outer edge. The first portion of each vertical support at least partially extends beyond the outer edge, and the flexible covering can be supported by the plurality of vertical supports.
According to a second embodiment, an apparatus for covering and protecting an edible item that allows a flexible covering to cover and protect the edible item without damaging or altering a feature on the edible item. The apparatus provides a horizontal support and a plurality of vertical supports. The horizontal support has a surface to support the flexible covering and is adjustable to accommodate varying sizes and shapes of edible items. The vertical supports are attachable to the horizontal support.
According to a third embodiment, an apparatus for protecting an edible item supported by a base. The apparatus provides an elongated support having a tab formed on a first end, a plurality of corresponding slits formed adjacent to a second end that opposes the first end, and a plurality of tabs along a bottom edge. The elongated support may be bended around the edible item and the tab on the first end secured within one of the slits formed adjacent to the second end. Each of the plurality of tabs along the bottom edge can be bent perpendicular to secure the elongated support to the base.
An exemplary apparatus for covering and protecting an edible item may comprise a plurality of vertical supports that extend down from the horizontal support. The vertical supports may keep the horizontal supports above the edible item, thereby having a length or height greater than the edible item. The apparatus may further comprise base retainers for receiving the extended end of the vertical supports, or the end opposing the coupling with horizontal support. In an exemplary embodiment, the base retainers comprise an opening, such as an opening in the top of the base retainer to receive the extended end of the vertical support. The base retainer may have a non-slip surface on the bottom, to prevent the base retainer from slipping, such as on a plate or platter. The base retainers may be conical in shape to provide a larger contact surface along the bottom to increase friction. The base retainers may further comprise a tab that extends horizontally from the base retainer such that it extends to or away from the edible item. In an exemplary embodiment, the tabs may be positioned to extend toward the edible item and may extend into or under the edible item to secure the edible item in position with respect to the apparatus. In another embodiment, the tabs may extend away, such as radially away from the edible item, thereby securing the base retainer and apparatus with respect to a container which may prevent the edible item from moving with respect to the inside volume of the container. For example, the edible item may slid until one or more of the extended ends of the tab hit the container and prevent the edible item from slipping further and contacting the inside of the container. An exemplary tab may extend in a plurality of directions, such as both toward and away from the edible item and an exemplary tab may be circular to oval in shape. An exemplary tab may extend out radially from the base retainer, thereby providing a stop with the edible item and with a container or ridge of a plate or platter. An exemplary tab may be rectangular in shape, square in shape, round or oval in shape or irregularly shaped.
An exemplary apparatus for covering and protecting an edible item may comprise some vertical members that are configured to extend into the edible item and other vertical members that are configured to extend down around the outer perimeter of the edible item and these vertical members may comprise a base retainer to prevent sliding of die edible item and apparatus. Again, the base retainers may be coupled or attached to these outer vertical members, or vertical members that extend down around the outside of the edible item, or may be detachably attachable.
The summary of the invention is provided as a general introduction to some of the embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to be limiting. Additional example embodiments including variations and alternative configurations of the invention are provided herein.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.